Download or read book Stuffocation written by James Wallman and published by Random House. This book was released on 2015-03-17 with total page 277 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Stuffocation is a movement manifesto for “experiential” living, a call to arms to stop accumulating stuff and start accumulating experiences, and a road map for a new way forward with the potential to transform our lives. Reject materialism. Embrace experientialism. Live more with less. Stuffocation is one of the most pressing problems of the twenty-first century. We have more stuff than we could ever need, and it isn’t making us happier. It’s bad for the planet. It’s cluttering up our homes. It’s making us stressed—and it might even be killing us. A rising number of us are already turning our backs on all-you-can-get consumption. We are choosing access over ownership, and taking our business to companies like Zipcar, Spotify, and Netflix. Fed up with materialism, we are ready for a new way forward. Trend forecaster James Wallman traces our obsession with stuff back to the original Mad Men, who first created desire through advertising. He interviews anthropologists studying the clutter crisis, economists searching for new ways of measuring progress, and psychologists who link stuffocation to declining well-being. And he introduces us to the innovators who are already living more consciously and with more meaning by choosing experience over stuff. Experientialism does not mean giving up all of our possessions. It is a solution that is less extreme but equally fundamental. It’s about transforming what we value. Stuffocation is a paradigm-shifting look at our habits and an inspiring call for living more with less. It’s the one important book you won’t be able to live without. Praise for Stuffocation “The revelations come fast and furious as he asserts that acquiring ‘stuff’ is often just an easy way to ignore the tougher questions of life, dodging ‘why am I here?’ and ‘how should I live?’ for ‘will that go with the top I bought last week?’ Tart and often funny . . . [Stuffocation] will be an eye-opener for those long ago persuaded that more is better. A scintillating read that will provoke conversation (or at least closet cleaning).”—Booklist “James Wallman deftly hits upon a major insight for our times: that acquiring ‘stuff’ and ‘things’ is not nearly as meaningful as collecting experiences. Some of the happiest days of my life were when I had nothing and lived on a houseboat. Without stuff to tie me down, I felt completely free.”—Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS and author of the New York Times bestseller Start Something That Matters “A must-read . . . We think that more stuff will make us happier, but as the book nicely shows, we’re just plain wrong. A great mix of stories and science, Stuffocation reveals the downside of more, and what we can do about it.”—Jonah Berger, author of the New York Times bestseller Contagious “Wallman offers a deeply important message by weaving contemporary social science into very engaging stories. Reading the book is such a pleasure that you hardly recognize you’re being told that you should change how you live your life.”—Barry Schwartz, author of The Paradox of Choice “With a sociologist’s eye and a storyteller’s ear, Wallman takes us on a tour of today’s experience economy from the perspective not of businesses, nor even of consumers per se, but of everyday people.”—B. Joseph Pine II and James H. Gilmore, authors of The Experience Economy

Download or read book Time and How to Spend It written by James Wallman and published by Random House. This book was released on 2019-04-04 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Financial Times Book of the Year 'Genius ... I couldn't put it down, I read it from cover to cover' CHRIS EVANS If the most precious thing we have is time, the most highly prized expertise should be knowing how to spend it well. Yet, busier than ever, do we really understand which experiences bring us joy and success, and which don’t? After all, we’ve learned how to spot the difference between junk foods and superfoods. When you discover the equivalent rules for time, it’ll change how you live your life. In his first book since the era-defining Stuffocation, cultural commentator and bestselling author James Wallman investigates the persistent problem of wasted, unfulfilling time, and finds a powerful answer — a revolutionary approach to life based on the latest scientific discoveries. At its heart is the inspiring revelation that, when you play by the new rules, you can actively choose better experiences. Bursting with original stories, fresh takes on tales you thought you knew, and insights from psychology, economics, and culture, Time and How to Spend It reveals a seven-point checklist that’ll help you avoid empty experiences, and fill your free hours with exciting and enriching ones instead. This life-enhancing book will show you how to be the hero or heroine of your own story. You’ll learn how to avoid WMDs (weapons of mass distraction), and discover the roads that lead to flow. You’ll get more out of every minute and every day; your weekends will fizz and your holidays will be deeply nourishing. You’ll not only be living the good life, but building a truly great life.

Download or read book Stuffocation by James Wallman Summary written by QuickRead and published by QuickRead.com. This book was released on with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Do you want more free books like this? Download our app for free at https://www.QuickRead.com/App and get access to hundreds of free book and audiobook summaries. Discover how you can find more to life by having less. How often do we associate happiness with material possessions? Okay, maybe most of us understand that money can’t buy us happiness, but does that still deter us from wanting the latest model of that cool car, or the bigger house in the nicer neighborhood, or the latest television or cell phone? Our society has become ingrained into thinking that we need the newest models, some of us even believe success comes in the possessions that we hold. This has led to a destructive way of life which author James Wallman calls Stuffocation. As we accumulate material goods, we clutter our houses damaging our mental health and putting our lives in danger. Luckily, society is largely moving away from the consumerism of our past, but how can we become happier while still boosting our economy? Wallman has the solution to cure us of stuffocation while simultaneously contributing to the economy. Keep reading to find out how stuffocation can lead to serious mental illness, how we became so materialistic in the first place, and lastly, how to cure yourself and find a lifetime of peace and happiness.

Download or read book Make Space written by Regina Wong and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2017-08-15 with total page 154 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We simply have too much stuff in our lives. Burdened by our heavy consumerist culture to continually own and consume without purpose, we lose ourselves to debt, dissatisfaction, and despair. If having more, doing more, and being more does not allow us to live abundantly, what can? Minimalism can make all the difference. A minimalist life removes non-essentials and clutter—whether it’s physical clutter in your home or a cluttered mental state that holds you back from your goals— and makes space for only the most important things that truly add value and joy. Make Space offers you the tools to achieve this transformative mindset shift by marrying minimalist philosophy and principles with practical tips, activities, and action points that will unlock truly simple living. Among others, learn how to: •Avoid “Stuffocation” by reducing unnecessary possessions •Declutter your home to create an ideal living space •Design and efficiently maximize minimalist budgets •Clear the mind of negative distractions and be intentional •Avoid emotional drains to be empowered The art of minimalism requires intentionally purging, building, crafting, and curating the type of life you’ve always wished you lived. And when you’ve finally removed all forms of clutter, you’ll invite all things good and extraordinary into your most intimate spaces.

Download or read book What Doesn t Kill Us written by Scott Carney and published by Rodale Books. This book was released on 2017-01-03 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What Doesn't Kill Us, a New York Times bestseller, traces our evolutionary journey back to a time when survival depended on how well we adapted to the environment around us. Our ancestors crossed deserts, mountains, and oceans without even a whisper of what anyone today might consider modern technology. Those feats of endurance now seem impossible in an age where we take comfort for granted. But what if we could regain some of our lost evolutionary strength by simulating the environmental conditions of our ancestors? Investigative journalist and anthropologist Scott Carney takes up the challenge to find out: Can we hack our bodies and use the environment to stimulate our inner biology? Helping him in his search for the answers is Dutch fitness guru Wim Hof, whose ability to control his body temperature in extreme cold has sparked a whirlwind of scientific study. Carney also enlists input from an Army scientist, a world-famous surfer, the founders of an obstacle course race movement, and ordinary people who have documented how they have cured autoimmune diseases, lost weight, and reversed diabetes. In the process, he chronicles his own transformational journey as he pushes his body and mind to the edge of endurance, a quest that culminates in a record-bending, 28-hour climb to the snowy peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro wearing nothing but a pair of running shorts and sneakers. An ambitious blend of investigative reporting and participatory journalism, What Doesn’t Kill Us explores the true connection between the mind and the body and reveals the science that allows us to push past our perceived limitations.

Download or read book Unite and Conquer written by Kyrsten Sinema and published by Berrett-Koehler Publishers. This book was released on 2009-07 with total page 218 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Old-school divide-and-conquer tactics—demonizing opponents, frightening voters, refusing to compromise—may make us feel good about the purity of our ideals, but it's no way to get anything done. Worse, this approach betrays some of the most cherished ideals of the progressive movement: inclusion, reason, justice, and hope. Illuminated by examples from her own work and a host of campaigns across the country, Kyrsten Sinema shows how to forge connections—both personal and political—with seemingly unlikely allies and define our values, interests, and objectives in ways that broaden our range of potential partners and expand our tactical options. With irreverent humor, enthralling campaign stories, and solid, practical advice, Sinema enables us to move past “politics as war” and build support for progressive causes on the foundation of our common humanity.

Download or read book The Art of Simple Living written by Shunmyo Masuno and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2019-04-02 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Does for mental clutter what Marie Kondo has done for household clutter." --Publishers Weekly Relax and find happiness amid the swirl of the modern world with this internationally bestselling guide to simplifying your life by the renowned Zen Buddhist author of Don’t Worry. In clear, practical, easily adopted lessons--one a day for 100 days--renowned Buddhist monk Shunmyo Masuno draws on centuries of wisdom to teach you to Zen your life. Discover how . . . Lesson #4: lining up your shoes after you take them off can bring order to your mind; Lesson #11: putting down your fork after every bite can help you feel more grateful for what you have; Lesson #18: immersing yourself in zazen can sweep the clutter from your mind; Lesson #23: joining your hands together in gassho can soothe irritation and conflict; Lesson #27: going outside to watch the sunset can make every day feel celebratory; Lesson #42: planting a flower and watching it grow can teach you to embrace change; Lesson #67: understanding the concept of ichi-go ichi-e can make everyday interactions more meaningful; Lesson #85: practicing chisoku can help you feel more fulfilled. A minimalist line drawing appears opposite each lesson on an otherwise blank page, giving you an opportunity to relax with a deep breath between lessons. With each daily practice, you will learn to find happiness not by seeking out extraordinary experiences but by making small changes to your life, opening yourself up to a renewed sense of peace and inner calm. A PENGUIN LIFE TITLE

Download or read book Escape Everything written by Robert Wringham and published by Unbound Publishing. This book was released on 2016-01-28 with total page 236 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What if the door is open and we can leave any time we like? We will each spend an average of 87,000 hours at work before we die. We will spend another 5,000 getting to and from work. And we will spend countless more preparing for, worrying about and recovering after work. Most of us hate our jobs, so why do we insist on grinding away only to be rewarded with stress, debt, isolation and general unhappiness? Where does our commitment to these traps come from? In I’m Out: How to Make an Exit, Robert Wringham examines these questions and more, showing us how, if we are daring enough to make the attempt, we can take control of our fate and say goodbye to a lifetime of meaningless drudgery.

Download or read book Ghosty Men written by Franz Lidz and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2008-12-22 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A true tale of changing New York by Franz Lidz, whose Unstrung Heroes is a classic of hoarder lore. Homer and Langley Collyer moved into their handsome brownstone in white, upper-class Harlem in 1909. By 1947, however, when the fire department had to carry Homer's body out of the house he hadn't left in twenty years, the neighborhood had degentrified, and their house was a fortress of junk: in an attempt to preserve the past, Homer and Langley held on to everything they touched. The scandal of Homer's discovery, the story of his life, and the search for Langley, who was missing at the time, rocked the city; the story was on the front page of every newspaper for weeks. A quintessential New York story of quintessential New York characters, Ghosty Men is a perfect fit for Bloomsbury's Urban Historicals series.

Download or read book The Shift written by Kimberly White and published by Berrett-Koehler Publishers. This book was released on 2018-06-05 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A vivid depiction and real-world example of the personal and institutional impact of the Arbinger Institute's transformative ideas (Leadership and Self-Deception; 1.4 million copies sold) within a healthcare organization--The HG nursing homes. In general, nursing homes are scorned healthcare institutions--but it was in these transformed HG homes that Kimberly White discovered a new way of "seeing" people and underwent her own personal transformation. Both HG and White shifted their perspective and mindset based on their adoption of The Arbinger Institute's basic principles. Without realizing it, we tend to treat people as objects. We see them solely in terms of their usefulness to us. This invites tension and conflict, and changing this mindset is at the heart of the Arbinger Institute's work. This book is a moving true story of an unhappy woman whose life and family were transformed when she began researching how Arbinger's ideas were being implemented in nursing homes. Kimberly White was astonished to discover that those who choose to care for the elderly and ill, earning low pay in a maligned industry, were nevertheless full of satisfaction, compassion and love because of their ability to see their patients as real and true and valuable people. White's research became a personal exploration of how to see the people in her own life as people in that same profound way. When she did, everything in her life and her world changed--and the reader's will too"--

Download or read book Rest written by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang and published by Basic Books. This book was released on 2016-12-06 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Rest is such a valuable book. If work is our national religion, Pang is the philosopher reintegrating our bifurcated selves."---Arianna Huffington, New York Times Book Review Overwork is the new normal. Rest is something to do when the important things are done—but they are never done. Looking at different forms of rest, from sleep to vacation, Silicon Valley futurist and business consultant Alex Soojung-Kim Pang dispels the myth that the harder we work the better the outcome. He combines rigorous scientific research with a rich array of examples of writers, painters, and thinkers—from Darwin to Stephen King—to challenge our tendency to see work and relaxation as antithetical. "Deliberate rest," as Pang calls it, is the true key to productivity, and will give us more energy, sharper ideas, and a better life. Rest offers a roadmap to rediscovering the importance of rest in our lives, and a convincing argument that we need to relax more if we actually want to get more done.

Download or read book The Finnish Way written by Katja Pantzar and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2018-06-26 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An engaging and practical guided tour of the simple and nature-inspired ways that Finns stay happy and healthy--including the powerful concept of sisu, or everyday courage Forget hygge--it's time to blow out the candles and get out into the world! Journalist Katja Pantzar did just that, taking the huge leap to move to the remote Nordic country of Finland. What she discovered there transformed her body, mind and spirit. In this engaging and practical guide, she shows readers how to embrace the "keep it simple and sensible" daily practices that make Finns one of the happiest populations in the world, year after year. Topics include: Movement as medicine: How walking, biking and swimming every day are good for what ails us--and best done outside the confines of a gym Natural mood boosters: Cold water swimming, steamy saunas, and other ways to alleviate stress, anxiety, insomnia, and depression Forest therapy: Why there's no substitute for getting out into nature on a regular basis Healthy eating: What the Nordic diet can teach us all about feeding body, mind and soul The gift of sisu: Why Finns embrace a special form of courage, grit and determination as a national virtue - and how anyone can dig deeper to survive and thrive through tough times. If you've ever wondered if there's a better, simpler way to find happiness and good heath, look no further. The Finns have a word for that, and this empowering book shows us how to achieve it.

Download or read book Shine written by Shannah Kennedy and published by Michael Joseph. This book was released on 2017-11-27 with total page 168 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We live in a world of time famine, stuffocation and addiction to entertainment rather than education. So it's time to eliminate some of the noise and distraction and get back to the basic essentials. It's time to start living on purpose again. From The Essentialists comes Shine- a short and stylish guide to twenty simple life skills that will help you to thrive. From 'Clarity' and 'Mindfulness' to 'Declutter' and 'Sleep', each chapter is enormously practical and truly inspiring - explaining the game-changing potential these techniques hold, and how to master them in easy steps. Discover the power of having a vision, learn how to set effective boundaries, and understand why keeping a journal can make you happier. It's not about doing more - it's about doing what's right for you so that you can truly shine.

Download or read book Black and White Thinking written by Kevin Dutton and published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. This book was released on 2021-01-05 with total page 400 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A groundbreaking and timely book about how evolutionary biology can explain our black-and-white brains, and a lesson in how we can escape the pitfalls of binary thinking. Several million years ago, natural selection equipped us with binary, black-and-white brains. Though the world was arguably simpler back then, it was in many ways much more dangerous. Not coincidentally, the binary brain was highly adept at detecting risk: the ability to analyze threats and respond to changes in the sensory environment—a drop in temperature, the crack of a branch—was essential to our survival as a species. Since then, the world has evolved—but we, for the most part, haven’t. Confronted with a panoply of shades of gray, our brains have a tendency to “force quit:” to sort the things we see, hear, and experience into manageable but simplistic categories. We stereotype, pigeon-hole, and, above all, draw lines where in reality there are none. In our modern, interconnected world, it might seem like we are ill-equipped to deal with the challenges we face—that living with a binary brain is like trying to navigate a teeming city center with a map that shows only highways. In Black-and-White Thinking, the renowned psychologist Kevin Dutton pulls back the curtains of the mind to reveal a new way of thinking about a problem as old as humanity itself. While our instinct for categorization often leads us astray, encouraging polarization, rigid thinking, and sometimes outright denialism, it is an essential component of the mental machinery we use to make sense of the world. Simply put, unless we perceived our environment as a chessboard, our brains wouldn’t be able to play the game. Using the latest advances in psychology, neuroscience, and evolutionary biology, Dutton shows how we can optimize our tendency to categorize and fine-tune our minds to avoid the pitfalls of too little, and too much, complexity. He reveals the enduring importance of three “super categories”—fight or flight, us versus them, and right or wrong—and argues that they remain essential to not only convincing others to change their minds but to changing the world for the better. Black-and-White Thinking is a scientifically informed wake-up call for an era of increasing extremism and a thought-provoking, uplifting guide to training our gray matter to see that gray really does matter.

Download or read book The Paper Kingdom written by Helena Ku Rhee and published by Random House Studio. This book was released on 2020-02-18 with total page 41 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An office at night is reimagined as a fantastical kingdom of paper complete with friendly dragons in this own voices picture book. When the babysitter is unable to come, Daniel is woken out of bed and joins his parents as they head downtown for their jobs as nighttime office cleaners. But the story is about more than brooms, mops, and vacuums. Mama and Papa turn the deserted office building into a magnificent kingdom filled with paper. Then they weave a fantasy of dragons and kings to further engage their reluctant companion--and even encourage him to one day be the king of a paper kingdom. The Paper Kingdom expresses the joy and spirit of a loving family who turn a routine and ordinary experience into something much grander. Magical art by Pascal Campion shows both the real world and the fantasy through the eyes of the young narrator.

Download or read book How to Be Alone written by Sara Maitland and published by Picador. This book was released on 2014-09-02 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: IN THIS AGE OF CONSTANT CONNECTIVITY, LEARN HOW TO ENJOY SOLITUDE AND FIND HAPPINESS WITHOUT OTHERS. Our fast-paced society does not approve of solitude; being alone is antisocial and some even find it sinister. Why is this so when autonomy, personal freedom, and individualism are more highly prized than ever before? In How to Be Alone, Sara Maitland answers this question by exploring changing attitudes throughout history. Offering experiments and strategies for overturning our fear of solitude, she helps us practice it without anxiety and encourages us to see the benefits of spending time by ourselves. By indulging in the experience of being alone, we can be inspired to find our own rewards and ultimately lead more enriched, fuller lives.

Download or read book Minimalism Live a Meaningful Life written by Joshua Fields Millburn and published by Asymmetrical Press. This book was released on 2015-12-20 with total page 77 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Minimalism is the thing that gets us past the things so we can make room for life's most important things—which actually aren't things at all. At age 30, best friends Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus walked away from their six-figure corporate careers, jettisoned most of their material possessions, and started focusing on what's truly important. In their debut book, Joshua & Ryan, authors of the popular website The Minimalists, explore their troubled pasts and descent into depression. Though they had achieved the American Dream, they worked ridiculous hours, wastefully spent money, and lived paycheck to paycheck. Instead of discovering their passions, they pacified themselves with ephemeral indulgences—which only led to more debt, depression, and discontent. After a pair of life-changing events, Joshua & Ryan discovered minimalism, allowing them to eliminate their excess material things so they could focus on life's most important "things": health, relationships, passion, growth, and contribution.